Literacy Assessment Project

Staffing

P. Griffin, E. Care, A. Thomas


Summary

The project began in 2004, initiated by the Catholic Education Office in partnership with the University of Melbourne, in response to primary schools seeking clear reading and writing assessment advice beyond that established for Years P–2. The goals of the project were to: (1) assist schools to use effective mainstream assessment practices that inform instruction at the students’ point of need; (2) assist schools to use more effective focused teaching and ongoing monitoring strategies; and (3) develop suitable support materials for and/or advice about mainstream reading assessments. Literacy assessments have been conducted twice each year since 2004, providing a growing database of equated tests, and individual student data to schools for targeted teaching. The Project relies heavily on Professional Learning Teams of literacy coordinators who have worked to investigate and extend their knowledge of teaching strategies for students at different reading and comprehension levels. Analyses of the data have been used to develop and inform a common Progression of Reading Development of eight levels upon which individual student progress can be plotted.

Status

Current

Funding

Catholic Education Office Melbourne

Publications

Griffin, P., Murray, L., Care, E., Thomas, A., & Perri, P. (2007). Developmental Assessment: Lifting literacy through Professional Learning Teams

Griffin P. 2006. Innovation In The Classroom. EQ Australia. Summer 2006: 6-7.

Griffin P, Nichols G, Murray L, Vogl A & Barling J. 2006. Effective Use of Assessment to improve Meaning Making in Years 3 and 4 students. Learning Matters. 11 (2): 58-61.

Student research projects

Rasheed, I. (2007). Effective implementation of continuous assessment strategies for enhancement of literacy reading for Year 3 and 4 students.

Gamboa-Lavados, I. (2007). Identification and description of teaching practices that enhance the reading outcomes of Year 3 and Year 4 students.

Noronha, F. (2007). Building Literacy 3 to 4: Investigating effective literacy teaching strategies for Years 3 and 4 students in Catholic primary schools.

V, Y. (2007). The effects of teacher knowledge and application of effective literacy strategies for readers.